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Dry hair

• Overview
• Treatment

Alternative Names:

Hair - dry

Considerations:

Dry hair is hair that does not have enough moisture and oil to maintain its normal sheen and texture.

Dry hair may result from too much washing, harsh detergents, a dry environment, inadequate diet, or underlying conditions, such as those due to malnutrition. (For example, kwashiorkor )

Dry, brittle hair may be a symptom of metabolic diseases such as hypothyroidism and Menkes kinky hair syndrome .

Common Causes:

• Excessive washing, harsh detergents or alcohols, excessive blow-drying
• Environmental dryness
• Anorexia nervosa
• Malnutrition
• Hypothyroidism
• Hypoparathyroidism

• Review Date: 10/13/2006
• Reviewed By: Kevin Berman, MD, PhD, Associate, Atlanta Center for Dermatologic Disease, Atlanta, GA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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